WINNIPEG BASED five piece Harlequin were a fine example of an act that benefitted from what was called CanCon. It didn’t hurt either that they were ‘accidently’ signed to the giant, international, CBS corporation, following the absorption of an independent production company that the band had signed to earlier in their career.

‘Love Crimes’, originally released in 1980, was produced by Jack ‘Aerosmith’ Douglas in New York, at the famed Record Plant Studios. It was an album that achieved Platinum status in Canada, making inroads into the US where the band played shows with the likes of Survivor, Triumph and John Waite. Featuring an amazing vocalist (George Belanger), superbly crafted songs and a melodic yet hard hitting sound, ‘Love Crimes’ remains a classic creation. AOR, for sure, with rough-hewn guitar work, memorable melody and hugely satisfying hooks.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, band involvement and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. INNOCENCE 2. LOVE ON THE ROCKS 3. THINKING OF YOU 4. IT’S ALL OVER NOW 5. HEAVEN (DIAL 999) 6. SAYIN’ GOODBYE TO THE BOYS 7. WAIT FOR THE NIGHT 8. CRIME OF PASSION 9. CAN’T HOLD BACK 10. MIDNIGHT MAGIC

GAMMA, FORMED, in the late 70s, allowed band leader Ronnie Montrose to take the template laid down by his former outfit Montrose and reposition it closer to contemporary sounds without losing sight of his hot-shot reputation for guitar playing. Reuniting with former Montrose drummer Denny Carmassi, then unknown Scottish vocalist Davey Pattison, bassist Glen Letsch and managed by impresario and concert promoter Bill Graham the band dug in hard to create ‘Gamma 2’, a record that is regarded as the bands best effort.

Originally issued in 1980 and produced by Gary Lyons (Foreigner, UFO, Aerosmith), it is a record erupting with hail and brimstone including a brace of classic hard rock cuts including ‘Mean Streak’, ‘Dirty City’, ‘Four Horsemen’ and a brilliant interpretation of Thunderclap Newman’s timeless ‘Something In The Air’. Man of the match? If it ain’t Ronnie blasting away on his trusted Gibson Les Paul then it must surely be vocalist Davey Pattison, a voice of pure blues soaked brilliance.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, band involvement and additional photos spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. MEAN STREAK 2. FOUR HORSEMEN  3. DIRTY CITY  4. VOYAGER  5. SOMETHING IN THE AIR 6. CAT ON A LEASH 7. SKIN AND BONE 8. MAYDAY

Formed IN Baton Rouge, Louisiana, LeRoux had previously cut two albums in a rural rock style before switching allegiance to their firebrand version of melodic pomp rock. Produced by feted session musician Jai Winding (Jackson Browne, Boz Scaggs), the ‘Up’ album exploded out of the starting gate to huge approval by those that took notice. Although sales may have been somewhat limited, their influence was persuasive and powerful, especially in Europe where ‘Up’ was hailed as a masterpiece by a number of connoisseurs of the genre.

Stuffed to the brim with astonishing tracks including ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy’, ‘Get It Right The First Time’, ‘Mystery’ and the truly impressive ‘Roll Away The Stone’, the album oozes both class and control, delivering maximum melody at every available opportunity. The sound is big, bold and crystal clear propelling the contents to the stars and beyond.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, band involvement and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY 2. GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME  3. MYSTERY 4. ROLL AWAY THE STONE 5. IT COULD BE THE FEVER 6. I KNOW TROUBLE WHEN I SEE IT 7. WAITING FOR YOUR LOVE 8. CRYING INSIDE 9. I WON’T BE STAYING

EMERGING AS part of the burgeoning NWOBHM scene and playing every nook and cranny up and down the country, MORE’s stock in 1982 was certainly in the ascendance. Album number two was expected to springboard them into the hard rock stratosphere but - as is often the case - things started to go wildly astray. Before long the band had fallen into a state of almost irreversible disrepair, a predicament complicated by internal rancour and managerial shenanigans.

Under such circumstances you’d normally expect a somewhat disappointing and ultimately patchy affair. Remarkably, however, nothing could be further from the truth as ‘Blood & Thunder’ is one of the most impressive of all the NWOBHM releases. Built on little more than armour plated perseverance and gargantuan riffs, the sound is utterly uncompromising. Just like the sound of a jet engine preparing for take-off, this is a record is impossible to ignore.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, previously unreleased in Europe, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, band involvement and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. KILLER ON THE PROWL 2.  BLOOD AND THUNDER 3. I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT 4. I’VE BEEN WAITING 5. TRAITORS GATE 6. ROCK AND ROLL 7. I WANNA TAKE YOU 8. GO HOME 9. THE EYE 10. NIGHTMARE

BASED IN London, MORE’s roots actually lay in the very same avenues and alleyways frequented by Iron Maiden. Indeed, vocalist Paul Mario Day had been - alongside Steve Harris - a member of pre Iron Maiden outfit Gypsy’s Kiss. Both went their separate ways, of course, with Day reappearing as front man for MORE, a ball-busting rough and tumble five piece with a volatile two guitar line-up laying waste to a bunch of catchy hooks.

Signed to Atlantic Records, Warhead was originally issued in 1981 and produced by none other than Henry ‘H-Bomb’ Weck, leader of seventies cult US hard rock combo Brownsville Station (‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room’), the album features a fine selection of tracks primarily designed to bludgeon the listener into boot-licking compliance. Fortunately it’s a game they won hands down.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, includes bonus track, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, band involvement and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. WARHEAD  2. FIRE  3. SOLDIER  4. DEPRESSION  5. ROAD ROCKET  6. LORD OF TWILIGHT  7. WAY OF THE WORLD  8. WE ARE THE BAND  9. I HAVE NO ANSWERS  BONUS TRACK: 10.  ATOMIC ROCK

THE DEBUT Boston album is not only regarded as one of the greatest rock albums of all time but it is also one of the biggest sellers. Its influence was all pervasive and set the standards for years to come. Behind the scenes, however, things were not going as smoothly as they seemed. Indeed, by the turn of the decade the band had all but imploded, with guitarist Barry Goudreau being the first to head off for pastures new.

Initially, Goudreau recorded a well-received solo album, but a part of him still longed to be a member of a fully functioning band. With this goal in mind, he set about forming a new outfit, named, rather enigmatically, Orion The Hunter. Featuring lead vocalist Fran Cosmo - a man who would, somewhat ironically, later go on to actually join Boston - bassist Bruce Smith and former Heart drummer Michael DeRosier, the quartet spent nearly a year crafting a selection of songs that would form the basis of a quite remarkable album.

Recorded at the renowned Power Station Studios in New York, the album was universally praised for its wealth of great songs, progressive arrangements and a sound built on the very foundations of Boston itself – Barry’s guitar work in particular ringing with that unmistakeable tone. A truly first rate record and long recognised as a classic of its kind.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, new interview with Barry Goudreau & Fran Cosmo and additional photos spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. ALL THOSE YEARS 2. SO YOU RAN 3. DREAMIN’ 4. DARK AND STORMY 5. STAND UP 6. FAST TALK 7. TOO MUCH IN LOVE 8. JOANNE 9. I CALL IT LOVE

HELIX WERE a band you could always count on to deliver; live they were like an explosion in a circus and on record they served up numerous hard rock anthems. Furthermore, they were relentless hard workers, banging out classy albums in the blink of an eye and touring the world like men possessed. The smart money was on
Helix not only making the grade but also setting the bar for Canadian rock in general.

‘Long Way To Heaven’, originally issued in 1985, was the band’s third album for Capitol records, their two previous records having elevated them from interesting contenders to hot-shot upstarts with their eyes set firmly on the prize. Naturally, this album doesn’t disappoint either, erupting with a fine selection of sing-it-shout-it party rock anthems to rival the most successful bands of the era. Tracks such as ‘Ride The Rocket’, ‘School Of Hard Knocks’, ‘Bangin’ Off-A The Bricks’ and the title track itself leave no stone unturned in the quest for the perfect hard rock anthem.

Issued to universal acclaim, Helix’s hard work paid off, especially in Europe where it shot straight to the #1 spot on the Swedish album charts. Elsewhere, the reception was equally as warm, allowing the band to continue their relentless touring schedule and driving home the message that Helix were one of the hottest tickets on the scene.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. THE KIDS ARE ALL SHAKIN’ 2. DEEP CUTS THE KNIFE 3. RIDE THE ROCKET 4. LONG WAY TO HEAVEN 5. HOUSE ON FIRE 6. CHRISTINE 7. WITHOUT YOU (Jasmine’s Song) 8. SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS 9. DON’T TOUCH THE MERCHANDISE 10. BANGIN’ OFF-A-THE BRICKS

CANADIAN HARD rock band Helix had been on the verge of breaking big with five previous albums already tucked under their belt. Signed to Capitol Records and benefitting from unrelenting promotion, the band toured the world establishing themselves not only in America and Canada but also in Europe, a territory that embraced the band as if they were their very own.

‘Wild In The Streets’ was the band’s fourth, and final, album for Capitol. It was a record of familiar components; big hooks, teeth rattling drum ‘n’ bass, razor sharp guitar riffs and shredding solos all locked into a brace of tunes so catchy they would easily shame the likes of Kiss and Def Leppard. Of the ten tracks on offer three were contributed by class outside sources, namely Nazareth (‘Dream On’), FM (‘Never Gonna Stop The Rock’) and Joe Elliott (‘She’s Too Tough’) all helping to confirm that Helix were still operating at the top of their game.

The sound here is of a band getting back to their roots cultivating a far more aggressive in-your-face attitude. Produced partly by Neil Kernon (Autograph, Dokken) but mainly by Mike Stone (Whitesnake, Journey) and recorded at Richard Branson’s Manor Studios in rural Oxfordshire, the album goes someway to reaffirming both their party-hardy roots and their ability to entertain on a spectacular level. It might have been their final major label album but they certainly went out with a bang.”

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album and additional photos spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. WILD IN THE STREETS 2. NEVER GONNA STOP THE ROCK 3. DREAM ON 4. WHAT YA BRINGIN’ TO THE PARTY 5. HIGH VOLTAGE KICKS 6. GIVE ‘EM HELL 7. SHOT FULL OF LOVE 8. LOVE HUNGRY EYES 9. SHE’S TOO TOUGH 10. KISS IT GOODBYE

DURING THE EARLY 90s traditional hard rock had virtually been eradicated. Its presence overshadowed by the arrival of grunge, a primeval sludge reliant on down-tuned guitars and depressing lyrics. The grunge master plan was to exterminate melodic blues based rock and wipe it from the face of the earth.
Fortunately, though, all was not lost. Central to the fightback were dedicated, hardnosed bands who were not content to take matters lying down. Whilst the Black Crowes and Brother Cain fought for their right to rock in the US, the UK hit back hard with exciting, young, chart bound talent that included Little Angels, Thunder and, of course, Skin.

Formed from the ashes of respected Brit rock outfits Kooga and Jagged Edge and led by guitarist extraordinaire Myke Gray, Skin managed to confound the critics by securing heavy weight management, from Sanctuary (Iron Maiden) and a major label record deal from Parlophone. Their belief and the band’s talent paid
handsome dividends, helping to deliver ‘Money’, a top 20 hit single, and subsequently a top 10 UK album. Tours sold out and reviews were gushing. It was an amazing achievement.

Originally issued in 1994, and produced by Keith Olsen (Whitesnake, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne), Skin’s self titled debut album is big on hard hitting guitar riffs, killer hooks and meticulous production. Of course, the icing on the cake is vocalist Neville McDonald, a veritable iron lunged howler in the finest Coverdale/ Rodgers mould.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 7 bonus tracks, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, new interview with Myke Gray and additional photos spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. Money 2. Shine Your Light 3. House Of Love 4. Colourblind 5. Which Are The Tears 6. Look But Don’t Touch 7. Nightsong 8. Tower Of Strength 9. Revolution 10. Raised On Radio 11. Wings Of An Angel BONUS TRACKS: 12. Monkey 13. Should I Stay Or Should I Go 14. Pump It Up 15. Good Good Lovin’ 16. This Planet’s On Fire 17. Take It Easy 18. Take Me Down To The River

WHEN THE history of Heavy Metal is finally written, Armored Saint will be remembered as a band that should have joined the elite platinum club, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeath and Slayer. Tipped by those who know such things, they displayed both the promise and the talent to springboard them to worldwide success yet, for a number of frustrating reasons, it was not to be.

‘March Of The Saint’, the band’s debut album, was a competent introduction for sure, but was hampered by an arguably incompatible production, and a label not fully versed in the fine art of marketing metal to the masses. Taking matters into their own hands for ‘Delirious Nomad’, they enlisted the help of seasoned producer Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeath) and set to work creating the album that they should have recorded all along. Taped in Los Angeles, the sessions progressed well but not without a degree of angst, particularly when guitarist Phil Sandoval was asked to step aside, reducing the band’s compliment to a quartet.

For all that, ‘Delirious Nomad’ remains, for most people, the band’s high point, in a career that has lasted on and off for the best part of thirty years. Max Norman’s production is crisp yet crushing, whilst the band’s attack and energy level is through the roof. That the songs are truly impressive is indeed the icing on the cake.

24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, 2 bonus tracks, new interview with the band and additional photos spread out over a 16 page full colour booklet.

TRACK LISTING: 1. LONG BEFORE I DIE 2. NERVOUS MAN 3. OVER THE EDGE 4. THE LAUGH 5. CONQUEROR 6. FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVINESS 7. AFTERMATH 8. IN THE HOLE 9. YOU’RE NEVER ALONE 10. RELEASED. BONUS TRACKS 11. THE LAUGH (demo) 12. YOU’RE NEVER ALONE (rough mix)